Fire-alarm.



E. L. TIBBS.

FIRE ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. 1916.

1 ,27 1 ,806. Patented July 9, 1918.

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alien/Le Patented July 9, 1918.

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I! 14 I IN 4 wifneoo EDITH t T S, 0F EE L E, Q 'IHI AR N E BEr LA M- specifiqati ou of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application filedlune 12, 1916. Serial No. 103,221.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enrrrr L. Tiers, a citizen of the United States,res1ding at 'Greenville, in the county of Greenv'ille,

State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Alarms; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exactdescripe tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains. to make and use the same- Thisinvention relates to the class of fire alarms, and has. particular reference to a fire signal which is thermally operated to close an electric circuit which includesthe alarm.

The primary object of my invention is to a residence, or other building, the circuit closing apparatus being thermally controlled by the. explosion of a suitable explosive material.

It is likewise an object of the present invention to construct a suitable thermally controlled circuit closing device for use in electric signaling apparatus for indicating the presence of fire, in which the parts arefew in number, and positive in actlon, theapparatus being also capable of being quickly charged in order to place it in condition for further use.

WVith the above objects, and others in view, as will hereinafter appear, my invention will now be fully set forth and described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the circuit closing apparatus which forms the subject matter of my invention,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic showing of the electrical circuit which includes the apparatus of my invention,

Fig. 5 is. a sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1',

Fig. 6. is a perspective view of a section of a conduit employed in my invention, and

Fig; 7 is a plan view of an elbow section used with. said conduit.

Referringmore particularly to said drawings, 1* indicates a dome-like housing of any suitable material, which is provided: around its peripheral edge with the horizontally extending feet 2 by means of which the housing may be secured: to the wall; a suitablebase, or other surface. Said house i-ng 1 incloses a bracket 3', within which a cartridge 4 is supported, said carriage be ingvertically supported so that the open topthereof extends a short distance above the bracket 3. Said; cartridge 4 is formed of a material suitable for containing an. ex-. plosive and adapted to have the latter fulminated therein. The cartridge 4 is closed by a cap: Said cap 5 is formed of a suitable metal, assoft lead which may be renewed and is provided at its center with a reduced circular section The reduced sec tion, 6 is scored around its edge so as to be bodily separable from. the cap. Said cap.

orcover 5 is secured to the cartridge 4 so.

as. to; compress within the cartridge 4 the coil spring 7' which normally rests between the bottom of thecartridge 4 and said cap 5,, the upper endof' the spring resting in the, reccssformedi by the reduced portion 6.

Mounted at an exterior point adjacent the dome 1 is a base plate 8 carrying a standard- 9, of which the upper end is shaped as at 10 to form a fulcrum for a rock lever 11, one end of said rock lever 11 extending through a slot 12 formed in the side of the dome 1 and having an overhanging arm 13 which overlies the cap section 6 and the cartridge 4. The free end of the arm 13 supports a plate 14 which overhangs the cap 6, said plate 14 having a depending flange 15 which prevents the cap section 6 and the spring 7 from being thrown to one side when an explosion occurs in the cartridge 4. The opposite end of the lever 11 is provided with a weighted knob or knocker 16 which overlies the button 17 of a suitable electrical push button switch 18. Said switch 18 is located in a suitable electrical circuit (Fig. 4) which contains visible l 1 invarious directions from the cartridge '45,

-known construction into the bottom of the cartridge 4; Said fuses may be secured to the walls or other back ground and spread so that fire 'at any one of the various points in a room to which the fuses are conducted will ignite the fuse at 'the danger point which will then explode the cartridge. In order to protect the fuses 22 I provide a sectional conduit such as is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. Said conduit consists of a substantially semi-cylindrical tubing 23 which is perforated throughout its length to permit the access of air to the interior of the tubing.

In Fig. 6 is shown a section of straight tubing, one end of which may be closed as at 24 to provide complete protection fortheout-' lying end ofthe fuse. Obviously, the intermediate sections of'the tubing will be open at both ends. In Fig. 7 25 indicates an elbow section which permits the proper disposition of a fuse around corners, or for otherwise varying the direction of the fuse from one danger point'to another.

The operation of my improved apparatus l is dependent upon the presence of fire or excessive heat caused by fire at any danger point Where the apparatus has been installed. As is obvious from the above description, the circuit closing device is located at a suitable central point in a room orany inclosure in which it may be desired to provide fire protection, and leading there- Gopies of this-patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing Washington, D. 0.

from is the plurality of fuses 22. Said fuses 22 are distributed as completely as possible around the room, and are covered by means of the conduit sections23 and 25.

11 are so constructed as to be normally counter-balanced, the knob 16 being clear of the button .17 and the plate 14 freely overhanging the cap 5. When the explosive in the cartridge 4 is ignited as'by the presence of heat in the'irhmediate vicinity, or through the medium of one of the fuses 22, the reduced section 6 of the" cap 5 will be blown against the plate 14, and the spring 7 will be permitted to expand, the combination of forces throwing the arm 13 of the lever upwardly and forcing the weighted knob 16 into contact with the button 17 of the switch 18 where it is held by spring 7. Obviously, the operation of the switch will complete the circuit above described, and

operate the signaling apparatus included therein.

What is claimed is In a fire alarm signaling system, a pair of'contacts, a lever connected with one of the contacts for procuring engagement thereof, a cartridge casing arranged. in opposition to said lever, an explosive charge in said casing, an expansile spring in said casing, a cap for the end of the cartridge adjacent the lever and including a frangible portion engageable by the spring and adapted upon explosion of the charge to release the spring for engagement with the lever and a fuse extending from the casing.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in thepresence of two witnesses.

Mrs. EDITH L. TIBBS. Witnesses:

J. R. CHILDRESS, W. N. CRUIKSHANK;

the Commissioner of Patents, 

